First Baptist Church remodeling focuses on safety, functionality

Published 5:14 pm, Saturday, August 10, 2013

Workers lay down a door after un-installing it at First Baptist Church of Conroe Friday.

Workers lay down a door after un-installing it at First Baptist Church of Conroe Friday.

Photo: Staff Photo By Jason Fochtman

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Jim Conley works on part of the new ventilation for restrooms at Conroe’ s First Baptist Church Friday.

Jim Conley works on part of the new ventilation for restrooms at Conroe’ s First Baptist Church Friday.

Photo: Staff Photo By Jason Fochtman

First Baptist Church remodeling focuses on safety, functionality

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Conroe’s First Baptist Church is embarking on big changes with the ambitious goal of remodeling and renovating six of the church’s eight buildings. The price tag for the remodeling is $2.5 million and is focused on improving security and functionality.

First Baptist Academy students in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten will be moved from building 8 to building 3 to enable the younger students to walk across campus behind a fenced area near the playground, limiting exposure to surrounding areas.

“We’re all aware of the fact that just because we’re a church doesn’t mean that things can’t happen here,” First Baptist Academy Administrator Donna Fitts said. “We’re trying to help parents know that we care about the children.”

Building 3

Building 3 was one of two buildings gutted for remodeling. Among the changes to the building include a fire suppression system and three classrooms, two for pre-K and one for kindergarten.

Building 4

Building 4 also received a new fire suppression system and had some doors and the carpet flooring replaced with tile flooring. Fitts says the reason behind the latter remodeling is because of how carpet flooring can bother the allergies of children in the academy.

Building 7

Building 7 is converting from a simple gym to a more multipurpose structure. According to Executive Pastor David Lorenz, the renovated building can be converted from a gymnasium into a worship space. This would allow for musical and worship performances to take place in the same spot as a volleyball game.

Building 8

This three-story building has been gutted, this time with the purpose of providing a more concrete structure for older academy students. The bottom level will house preschool and kindergarten classes, the second floor will house grades 1-6, and the top floor will have seventh through 12th grades.

“We have really nice, large group meeting areas on the second and third floors,” Fitts said. “The third floor also gets a stage; it’s a nice aesthetic update.”

Funding for the remodeling came almost entirely from the congregation. The church made presentations to the community, asking them to pray to God and pledge however much they thought God would want them to donate. The pledge payments were spread out over three years for donating members of the congregation.

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The remodeling is scheduled to be finished Aug. 25, a day before school begins at the academy. Fitts, who used to be a principal, is apprehensive yet hopeful about the construction finishing by the time school starts.